Distribution and substation equipment used to supply electrical power have used wildlife protection to prevent wildlife from simultaneously contacting energized and grounded surfaces or adjacent phases. When such contact occurs, short circuits and consequent power outages frequently are the result. The wildlife protection is typically applied to an equipment bushing or lightning arrester of the distribution or substation equipment. For adequate protection, a number of presently available wildlife guards have also required an insulated or covered wire between the bushing and arrester.
Available wildlife guards have posed problems because they only attempt to deter the animal from simultaneously touching a grounded surface and an energized surface. The guards do nothing to cause the animal from climbing on the equipment alone entirely. As a result, because the animal is not deterred from staying away from the equipment entirely, the animal may still find a way to simultaneously touch energized and grounded surfaces or may cause the wildlife guard to be move or removed from the protected device. Additionally, the animals, particularly squirrels, have a tendency to chew on prior art wildlife guards. As a result there is a need for a wildlife guard that prevents or deters animals from climbing upon energized equipment. Devices that provide an electrostatic shock to animals are known in the art. While these devices work for their intended purposes, they generally are categorized by a complex construction, non-desirable geometry and thus have a higher cost to produce.
The assignee of the present invention is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,096 (the '096 patent), the entire disclosure of which is incorporate herein by reference. It has been found that an extremely useful and novel animal guard can be constructed in accordance with the '096 patent modified in accordance with the present invention. While the invention in one form is described in accordance with the '096 patent, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the wider applicability of the invention, including other forms of animal guards. The result is a lower cost, easier to install, more durable animal guard having wide applicability in the electrical utility field.